The Samsung Digimax A503 camera is the follow-up to the Digimax A502, but a few differences stand out immediately. Not only has its appearance evolved, but the specifications have also been improved. The new Samsung A503 has several advantages over its predecessor, such as a larger internal memory, a bigger LCD screen and more automatic programs. Furthermore, the Samsung A503 has a unique look that is sure to be popular.

Samsung Digimax A503 - Good grip
With a total weight of only 100 grams, the Samsung Digimax A503 is no heavyweight, but it has a good grip and feels good in your hand. The casing feels nice to the touch and is made from a rather rough alloy. This last observation is not meant as criticism - on the contrary it gives you the feeling of having a secure grip. The Samsung A503 has a universal tripod connection and makes a generally solid impression. The USB 2.0 interface is neatly concealed behind a plastic flap. The lens doesn't have a separate lens cap but is protected by a cover of hardened glass. The buttons on the back of the camera are placed conveniently and logically. The separate manual setting for close up and faraway can be adjusted with the ring surrounding the lens, but this doesn’t feel very supple because this adjustment ring does not have much grip. Another down point is that the tiny symbols around the buttons on the back of the camera are very difficult to read.

Samsung Digimax A503 - No fast camera
There is enough resistance when you press in the shutter release and a sound lets you know that a picture has been taken. After using the flash, it takes approximately 5 seconds before the Samsung Digimax A503 is ready for the next picture. This gives you the hint that we are not dealing with a super speed sports camera here. You can choose to take pictures continuously, but then the flash will be automatically turned off. The rule here is that the more resolution saved per picture, the longer the processing time and the intervals between the continuous shots.

Samsung A503 - AEB (Bracketing function)
The AEB (Bracketing function) is in the same part of the program. It takes 3 pictures of a subject; standard, over and under exposed. This is useful if it is difficult to assess the exposure. It is possible to rework the picture in reproduction mode by focussing it. Another extra in the Samsung is the Photoframe setting: you can choose a frame before taking the picture and there are nine different options. You can also choose to adjust the colours in the pictures: black and white, sepia, blue/red/green and negative. A nice extra is the possibility to combine a number (2-4) of photos with each other in the so-called Composite program.

Samsung Digimax A503 - LCD display
All changes to the standard setting are clearly shown on the LCD. If you wish, the symbols of the settings/choices can also be switched off and sometimes this is a good idea as it makes it easier to have an overview of everything. You can look back at pictures taken earlier quickly and easily and it also takes no time at all to remove pictures. In fact the entire user’s interface of the Samsung A503 digital camera can be summed up in one word; user-friendly.

Samsung A503 digital camera - Fix-focus lens
Of course, a fix-focus lens has its limitations, but the Samsung Digimax A503 does exactly what it has to do: it takes properly exposed pictures whose sharpness is completely acceptable for a camera in this class. Photographers who use Multi Spot or Spot metering, adjust the ISO or exposure settings and the white balance and utilise the accompanying software to the full will find that the Samsung A503 is a surprisingly versatile entry-level camera.